BEATRICE – Police say it’s becoming a repeat problem…illegal entry to the Dempster Manufacturing Building in south Beatrice.

Sergeant Jay Murphy says officers were summoned there Monday morning. Thieves got into the building and made off with some tools. Murphy says it’s now being reported to police that about $10,000 of items have been stolen. Initially, it was believed about $900 in tools were taken. Murphy says police have no suspects in the most recent burglary.

Murphy says it’s probably the third incident in a month, where someone gained entry to the massive building. Much of the rear part of the property is obscured by brush and trees. Some manufacturing operations have been going on inside the building, producing fertilizer spraying equipment.

The City of Beatrice has been working on acquiring and demolishing the building, one of the oldest manufacturing facilities in the state and where the Dempster windmill and water pump was created. The Dempster Mill Manufacturing facility was founded in Beatrice, in the late 1870s.

One potential use for the site is for a new Beatrice Fire and Rescue headquarters.

Sergeant Murphy says the structure is “so wide-open”, and there’s been no forced entry. He says there’s a lot of open areas where persons can walk in or make entry through holes in building walls. He says measures are being taken to remedy the problem.